Choosing the right platform for your online store is one of the most important decisions you will make as a business owner. The platform you select is the foundation of your entire e-commerce operation. It affects everything from how your store looks to how easily customers can buy from you. A good choice can set you up for success, while the wrong one can limit your growth and cause headaches down the line.
With so many options available, it can be tough to know which one is right for you. Two popular choices in the UK are EKM and Shopify. Both allow you to build and run an online shop, but they are designed for very different types of businesses. In this guide, we’ll compare EKM vs Shopify to help you decide which platform will best support your ambitions.
Overview of EKM – Who It’s Best Suited For
EKM is a UK-based e-commerce platform that has a strong reputation for helping small businesses get online quickly. It’s often praised for its ease of use and UK-based customer support. For someone just starting out, with little technical knowledge and a simple product range, EKM can be a great first step.
The platform provides all the basic tools needed to launch a store, including a website builder, payment processing, and order management. It is designed to be an all-in-one solution for beginners who want a straightforward path to selling online without getting bogged down in technical details. EKM is ideal for small, local businesses or hobbyists who need a simple and functional online presence.
Overview of Shopify – Who It’s Best Suited For
Shopify is a global e-commerce powerhouse, known for its scalability, flexibility, and vast ecosystem. It is designed for businesses of all sizes, from ambitious startups to major international brands. Shopify’s core strength lies in its ability to grow with your business. It offers a powerful and robust foundation that can be customised to meet almost any need.
Shopify is best suited for merchants who are serious about growth. If you have plans to expand your product lines, sell internationally, or create a unique and highly customised brand experience, Shopify provides the tools you need. It is the platform of choice for ambitious entrepreneurs who don’t want to be held back by technology.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Let’s break down how EKM and Shopify stack up against each other in the areas that matter most.
Pricing
EKM offers several pricing tiers, starting from a basic plan and moving up. A key selling point is that it doesn’t charge transaction fees on top of what the payment provider charges. This can seem appealing at first. However, the plans often come with limits on turnover, which means you could be forced to upgrade to a more expensive plan as your sales grow.
Shopify also has a tiered pricing structure. While it does have transaction fees on its lower plans (which can be avoided by using Shopify Payments), its pricing is very transparent. The real value comes from what is included. Even the basic Shopify plan offers unlimited products and powerful features that you would have to pay more for on other platforms. For growing businesses, the total cost of ownership on Shopify often proves to be more predictable.
Features & Flexibility
EKM provides a solid set of core features to run a store. However, when it comes to customisation and advanced functionality, it can be quite limited. The theme editor is less flexible, making it difficult to create a truly unique storefront that stands out.
Shopify, on the other hand, is built for flexibility. Its theme editor is powerful and intuitive, and for those with technical skills, you get full access to the theme’s code for complete customisation. Features like abandoned cart recovery, multi-currency selling, and advanced analytics are built-in or easily added, giving you the tools to optimise your store for conversions.
Apps & Integrations
This is where the difference between the two platforms becomes most clear. EKM has a small selection of integrations for things like accounting and email marketing. While these cover the basics, they don’t offer much choice.
The Shopify App Store is a game-changer. It features thousands of apps that can add almost any functionality you can imagine. From loyalty programs and subscription services to advanced SEO tools and dropshipping integrations, the App Store allows you to build a store that is perfectly tailored to your business model. This vast ecosystem gives Shopify users a significant competitive advantage.
SEO & Marketing Tools
Both platforms offer tools to help you with search engine optimisation (SEO). EKM covers the basics, allowing you to edit page titles and meta descriptions. However, it lacks the advanced control that serious businesses need to rank well in competitive markets.
Shopify provides a more robust set of SEO tools right out of the box. You have full control over your URL structures, meta tags, and 301 redirects, which is crucial for protecting your rankings during a platform migration. The platform is also built for speed, which is a key factor in search engine rankings. A proper EKM migration plan will ensure your SEO is preserved and even improved.
Support & Community
EKM is proud of its UK-based support team, which is a strong selling point for many users. They offer phone and email support to help with any issues.
Shopify offers 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone. Beyond official support, Shopify has a massive global community of users, developers, and experts. This means there are endless tutorials, forums, and resources available to help you with any challenge you might face. This active community is an invaluable resource for any growing business.
Why Shopify Wins for Ambitious Merchants
For a business with ambitions to grow, Shopify is the clear winner. While EKM is a capable platform for beginners, it simply cannot match Shopify’s scalability, flexibility, and powerful feature set. Businesses on EKM often hit a ceiling where the platform’s limitations start to hinder their growth.
Shopify provides a future-proof foundation. You will never outgrow it. The ability to customise your store, add new features through apps, and sell to a global audience makes it the superior choice for any merchant who is serious about building a long-term, successful e-commerce brand.
What Migration Looks Like
Moving from one platform to another, such as an EKM migration to Shopify, can sound daunting. The process involves transferring all your important data, including products, customer information, and order history. It also requires setting up your new store design and ensuring all your old links redirect properly so you don’t lose your hard-earned SEO rankings.
While it is a detailed process, it is a well-trodden path. With careful planning, a migration can be executed smoothly without disrupting your business operations.
How Media Mole Supports Every Step
You don’t have to handle a migration alone. At Media Mole, we are experts in platform migrations, including EKM migration and Sellerdeck Migration. We have a proven process to move your store to Shopify seamlessly and safely.
Our team takes care of every detail:
- Data Transfer: We securely migrate all your products, customers, and orders.
- SEO Preservation: We map all your old URLs to new ones to protect your search rankings.
- Store Design: We help you create a beautiful, high-converting Shopify store.
- App Setup: We recommend and install the best apps to enhance your store’s functionality.
We manage the entire project so you can focus on running your business.
Closing Thoughts
Choosing between EKM and Shopify comes down to your long-term goals. If you’re looking for a simple, no-frills solution to get started, EKM can serve that purpose well. However, if you are building a brand for the future and want a platform that can grow with you every step of the way, Shopify is the undisputed champion.
Making the switch is an investment in your business’s future. An EKM migration can unlock new opportunities and give you the competitive edge you need to succeed.